Over a decade ago, Jennifer Coble and her friend – a former caterer from the Northeast – recognized a need in the community to provide meals to a large group of local homeless women. It was then that the beginnings of Sweet Creations first started taking shape.
“We started My Sister’s House in March of 2010,” explained Coble, referencing a transitional living program under the same organizational umbrella as Sweet Creations. “We had 26 women that we needed to feed daily breakfast, lunch and dinner. We were looking for an affordable and sustainable solution to do that. We created Sweet Creations to provide meals and opportunities for people to do their best and be their best in the culinary world.”
Coble is currently the Executive Director of the Friendship Community Development Corporation, an organization which oversees four programs: My Sister’s House, Sweet Creations (culinary division), Great Things (resale boutique) and Friendship Garden Apartments (affordable housing complex). “Our mission is to serve, facilitate and build communities to sustain human development,” she says.
Primarily a full-service catering company, Sweet Creations provides training and apprenticeships in the world of culinary arts and cooking. Also available for curbside pickup on Wednesdays and Sundays from 10 AM – 2 PM, the menu features everything from sandwiches, wraps and salads to baked chicken, meatloaf and fried fish.
“Our thing is Southern food, down home, Grandma’s kitchen,” added Coble. “My favorite dish is the peach Bourbon barbeque chicken. I like it served over rice with lots of sauce. We have great pound cakes – a five-flavor pound cake that’s exceptional, a sour cream pound cake that is wonderful. Another favorite would be our peach cobbler.”
Like many others in the catering industry, Sweet Creations has had to adjust its operations during the pandemic with many larger events postponed, rescheduled or outright canceled.
“We’ve had to pivot and adjust our business model. We take payments online only. Of course, everything is individually-packaged. Our staff has been properly trained with COVID-precautionary courses. We’ve invested in PPE. We’re still getting orders. We did a wedding last week, also a birthday party and we’ve got an event at the Mint Museum coming up.”
While business may be picking up here and there, supporting smaller minority-owned businesses like Sweet Creations and its trickledown impact on the local community is still extremely important, especially in present times.
“Give them a chance. Black business owners are business owners. We employee 15 people that live in this community. When you support us, you support those members of this community. The only difference is the color of our skin. We have a great product, great service. Buy some food and expand your horizon. Eating is a way to explore life. There are so many different flavors, so many different things to try. Give Sweet Creations a try. That’s how you can support us. And if you like it, come back and bring a friend or two.”